Tangled Web Missing Scenes
by RevSue
Summary: A short vignette detailing a couple of events which MIGHT have happened in the episode Oh, What a Tangled Web ...


_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, and I make no money from this work of fiction!_

Oh, What a Tangled Web ... (Missing Scene)

In spite of Hal's insistence that the whole "dance" thing was stupid, it was still a far more palatable option than spending the evening alone with Francine. Nanny smiled to herself as the three of them walked into the school gym and Hal hung around both her and the Professor as they busied themselves at the refreshment table.

When Hal groaned again about having to be at a dance, the Professor shook his head. "I understand that being thirteen is a terrible age, but believe me, it only promises to get worse!"

"Oh, Professor!" Nanny said reproachfully, coming over to them. She smiled encouragingly at Hal. "Think of it like learning to swim, Hal. Just dive in and start doing it!"

"You and Dad aren't dancing!" Hal muttered.

"We're the chaperones," the Professor explained. "The dance is for the students."

"THOSE two are dancing!" Hal pointed out a couple of other parents who were, indeed, dancing. "I don't see why I have to, when you aren't."

"We'd look rather strange dancing back here in this corner, wouldn't we?" Nanny asked, her eyes wide with innocence.

Hal scowled, then sighed. "Okay, here I go." He wandered over to a group of girls, and the Professor watched him as he hesitated. When Hal turned back, questioningly, the Professor waved him on. Hal turned back, then swerved and joined the group of boys.

The Professor made a face, and said wryly to Nanny, "Look at him. Just like a lemming, heading straight for the locker room!"

"Give it time, Professor," Nanny said soothingly. "Romeo wasn't built in a day!"

The Professor stared at her, then smiled back rather reluctantly.

When the Sadie Hawkins' Dance was announced, the Professor groaned. "I can't look!"

Hal, being the handsome boy he was, was immediately accosted. Obviously smitten by the young lady who had approached him, he was soon enjoying himself immensely. When the music changed from a fast dance to a slow dance, Hal took the girl in his arms, a big smile on his face. The Professor watched, unaware that his shock had passed and he was remembering dancing with Hal's mother to that very same tune ...

Nanny eyed the Professor compassionately, then said softly, "Would you like a little sip of punch, Professor?"

"Huh?" he came out of his daze with a start. "Oh!" He accepted the glass she handed him, then his eyes went back to find Hal on the dance floor.

As Hal turned, his eyes met his father's, and he raised his eyebrows, then looked at Nanny. The Professor almost jumped, but he got the message.

Clearing his throat, he put down his glass. "Hal's right. If he has to dance, there's no reason why I shouldn't ... and if the other chaperones are, then we can too. Would you care to dance, Miss Figalilly?"

"Here, Professor?" she demurred. "There's hardly room back here ..."

"Ah, but for these slow dances, we don't need much room," and the Professor's arm went around her waist, drawing her close to him.

Automatically, her left hand slid up to his shoulder, and they linked their other hands as they began to move in time to the music. She snuggled into him as if they had danced many times before, and his cheek rested on her hair.

"You're a wonderful dancer," he said softly, moving his thumb caressingly on the smooth hand he was holding. "Why haven't we done this before?"

"I suppose because the occasion never arose," she replied quietly, but the slight quiver in her voice gave away her inner agitation. She had no idea what had come over her, but at the touch of his body next to hers, and more importantly, his caress on her hand, she was finding herself battling a yearning to be even nearer to the Professor. She wanted to touch her lips to his chin, his cheek ... his lips. She wanted to feel his caresses all over, not just on her hand ...

The moment the music stopped, she broke away from him. "I must serve the punch!"

Hal and his new-found friend came up for punch, and Hal studiously ignored both Nanny and his father. But the adults were stunned to hear him add three years to his age when the young girl asked him. When they reached home, the Professor was STILL trying to get from Hal the reasons why he had done that.

Finally Hal said in exasperation, "You were the one who said I oughta get used to girls and stuff, didn't you?"

"Oh, well," his father forced a laugh, "I say a lot of things I ... Nanny, what do YOU say?"

Nanny smiled brightly. "At times like this, Professor, I always find it best to say ... goodnight!" and she turned to go inside.

"Wait!" the Professor caught her arm.

"Well, I'LL say goodnight, then," Hal escaped inside before his father could say anything more to him.

Nanny stood on the porch, the Professor still holding her arm. He looked down and realized he was clutching her rather tightly. "Oh, I'm sorry ..." and he released her. "I, well ..."

"Yes, Professor?" she looked up at him, her eyes deep pools of blue shining in the moonlight.

Experiencing the same dry mouth he had had while reliving his youth earlier in the evening, the Professor wet his lips. "I ... I just wanted to say that I quite enjoyed our dance, Miss Figalilly."

She smiled. "So did I, Professor."

There was silence for a moment, then she made a movement as if to retreat again, so he rushed into speech once more. "Did you ever see the movie 'The King and I'?"

"With Yul Brynner? Yes, I did."

"Remember the part where they danced? That was ... that was my wife's favourite part."

"I remember," Nanny's voice was soft.

"You encouraged Hal tonight to just dive in and start doing it, so ..." The Professor's hands encircled her shoulders and drew her closer before she was completely aware of it, then his lips were on hers.

She accepted the kiss for a moment, stunned, then put her hands on his chest and leaned slightly back, staring up at him almost dazedly.

"I was thinking of the song 'Shall We Dance'," the Professor explained, not releasing her. "And most particularly the part, 'When the last little star has left the sky, shall we still be together with our arms around each other, and shall you be my new romance?' It has a certain ... appeal right now," and again his lips moved against hers, firm, soft, warm ... tempting. He kissed her as though he had been waiting a lifetime to hold HER in his arms. He kissed her as though she was the only woman he wanted, the only woman he had ever desired.

She pressed her palms against his shoulders, intending to push him away, but her fingers curled into his jacket, ignoring logic and sense. In her mind, a sane voice screamed the reason she should not respond to this kiss: This is not right! He is not for you! You belong to Cholmondeley! But in spite of the warnings pealing in her brain, her body responded to his embrace, drawn to him as though he were the lover she had been waiting for all her life. Instincts she normally had been able to depend upon now betrayed her and desire swelled within her, threatening to swamp her. He nuzzled the skin behind her ear, and she felt soft lips, warm breath, then the touch of his tongue on her skin. "You mustn't do this," she forced herself to whisper.

"No? Tell me, why does it feel so right?" He kissed along her jawline, his hands smoothing over her back.

It DID feel right. But she could not allow it. No matter how it felt, it wasn't right. She trembled with longing, but had to try once more. "Please, Professor!" her voice quivered with emotion. "You must let me go ..."

He kissed her lingeringly on the lips again, then reluctantly released her. "Before I drown, I suppose you're right."

She tried to say something, but couldn't. Instead, she turned for the door and blindly hurried inside and upstairs. They were BOTH going to have to forget this interlude!


End file.
